Electroconvulsive Therapy in Children and Adolescents

This pioneering book is the first book of its kind and offers guidance about the use of ECT in youth with up-to-date and concise information. The editors, Neera Ghaziuddin MD, MRCPsych (University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA), and Garry Walter, MD, PhD (University of Sydney, Australia), have spearheaded the re-introduction of ECT as a safe and an effective treatment option for a subgroup of children and adolescents with severe psychiatric disorders. This book offers a review of the existing literature, firsthand experience of the authors who are regarded as experts in their respective field, and highly informative case descriptions.

The book also offers a historical perspective, explaining the reasons why ECT fell out of favor, particularly among child and adolescent psychiatrists, and the resulting lost opportunity to train clinicians over many decades. Starting around the 1990's, there has been a revival of interest, probably due to the recognition of treatment resistance among some adolescents. The chapter about the mechanism of action ECT describes biological mechanisms that are known to underlie mental illness. Other chapters include a discussion about stigma associated with ECT, ethical and informed consent issues, a step-by-step guidance about using ECT, use of anesthesia during ECT and the interaction between ECT and medications. In addition, its use in youth with general medical and neurological disorders is described. The chapter detailing side effects of the treatment dispels misinformation and indicates that ECT is a safe, painless and a highly effective procedure which is not associated with any lasting side effects. The use of ECT in the treatment of specific disorders (mood and psychotic disorders, severe self-injury and catatonia) is described under respective chapters using case examples.

Lay readers, families and patients considering this treatment will find the question and answer subsections at the end of each chapter useful. The experience of the editors gives a unique insight to ECT, dispelling myths and stigma and guides the reader about its proper use. Citește tot Restrânge

Recenzii

The
book,
simply
put,
is
the
current
authority
on
what
we
need
to
know
about
the
use
of
ECT
in
children
and
adolescents.
I
am
tempted
to
end
my
review
with
that
statement;
however,
that
would
not
do
justice
to
the
significant
efforts
the
authors
and
editors
have
put
in
to
collate
all
what
is
known
in
this
field
today.
.
.
A
highly
recommended
read!This
book
is
a
masterpiece.
It
should
be
available
to
anyone
who
treats
patients
for
whom
ECT
may
be
applicable.The
book,
simply
put,
is
the
current
authority
on
what
we
need
to
know
about
the
use
of
ECT
in
children
and
adolescents...
After
reading
the
book,
I
feel
much
more
empowered
to
have
the
conversation
with
young
people
and
their
family
should
I
need
to
consider
ECT
as
a
treatment
option...
A
highly
recommended
read!

Notă biografică

Neera
Ghaziuddin,
MD,
MRCPsych
is
Associate
Professor
of
Child
and
Adolescent
Psychiatry
at
the
University
of
Michigan
Ann
Arbor,
appointed
to
the
Faculty
in
1992.
She
directs
the
Treatment
Resistant
Disorder
clinic
and
trains
future
generations
of
child
psychiatrists
about
the
use
of
electroconvulsive
therapy
in
youth.
She
has
published
extensively
about
ECT
and
adolescent
mood
disorders.
She
is
the
primary
author
of
the
American
Academy
of
Child
and
AdolescentPsychiatry
Practice
Parameters
for
the
use
of
ECT,
published
in
2004.
In
2002
she
received
the
ECT
Investigator
Award
for
the
paper
titled,
"The
use
of
electroconvulsive
therapy
in
minors:
experience,
attitudes
of
child
psychiatrists
and
psychologists."
Garry
Walter
MD,
PhD
is
Professor
of
Child
and
Adolescent
Psychiatry
at
the
University
of
Sydney
and
Clinical
Director
of
Child
and
Adolescent
Mental
Health
Services
in
Northern
Sydney
Local
Health
District,
Australia.
He
is
also
Adjunct
Professor
at
Dalhousie
University,
Canada.
A
child
and
adolescent
psychiatrist,
in
2002
he
completed
a
doctorate
on
ECT
in
young
people.
He
is
the
long-standing
Editor
of
Australasian
Psychiatry,
International
Editor-at-Large
of
the
Journal
of
the
AmericanAcademy
of
Child
and
Adolescent
Psychiatry
and
a
member
of
several
other
Editorial
Boards,
including
for
over
a
decade
the
Journal
of
ECT.
He
has
published
over
300
papers
and
received
many
prestigious
research
prizes,
including
for
his
studies
on
ECT,
other
psychiatric
treatments
and
stigma.
In
2012
hewas
appointed
a
Member
of
the
Order
of
Australia
by
the
country's
Governor-General
for
service
to
medicine
in
the
fields
of
adolescent
mental
health,
medical
education
and
publishing.